Collapsible Putting Practice Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A collapsible putting practice apparatus designed to perfect a golfer&#39;s putting stroke, while being easily collapsible and portable. The collapsible putting apparatus incorporates multiple user positions, and includes design elements to conform the user&#39;s putting stroke to the apparatus&#39;s arced features.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application61/440,502, filed Feb. 8, 2011, hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to putting in the game of golf, inparticular, an apparatus designed for use in putting practice andenhancing a golfer's putting abilities.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

In the game of golf, putting is highly important to the overall skilland score of a golfer. Putting is the portion of golf that involvesshort shots, with a putter, in an attempt to get a player's ball intothe cup. Any golfer who wishes to improve his or her golf score spendssignificant time practicing putting. Many golfers invest significantamounts of money in golf lessons and enhanced putters in an attempt toimprove their golf game. While these efforts can assist in puttingperformance, the most important element to being skilled in putting isthe putting stroke. Muscle memory, or the ability for a golfer toreproduce the same putting stroke the majority of the time, is a highlyimportant aspect in being a skilled putter. Some have attempted toenhance putting stoke by creating putting guides or practiceapparatuses. All putting practice apparatuses on the market today areseriously flawed for a number of reasons.

Many putting guides are too large or incapable of being placed in a golfbag. Golfers primarily practice putting on a putting green, often beforeplaying a round of golf. A putting practice apparatus that is incapableof being fit easily in a golf bag is undesirable for a golfer to take toa round of golf. A putting practice apparatus that could fit easily in agolf bag would be highly desirable. A golfer would be able to work onputting stroke on a putting green, using a putting practice apparatus,and then easily place the apparatus in their bag and begin their game.

Another issue with putting practice apparatuses on the market is thatnone of these products have the optimal design for perfecting theputting stroke. Every putting practice apparatus trains the golfer totake the putter straight back and straight forward. This is not the mosteffective putting stroke. To maximize putting accuracy, a putting strokeshould have a subtle backward curve. No current putting practiceapparatus promotes this stroke.

What is needed, therefore, is a putting practice apparatus that iscollapsible and capable of being fit in a golf bag; combined with aputting practice apparatus that is designed to promote the subtle curvesof the optimum putting stroke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention is a collapsible putting apparatuscomprising a front extrusion arc piece; at least one extension armpivotably attached to the front extrusion arc piece; and a base piecepivotably attached to at least one extension arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an orthographic projection of an embodiment in the extendedposition.

FIG. 2 is an orthographic projection of an embodiment in the collapsedposition.

FIG. 3 is an auxiliary projection of an embodiment in the extendedposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

These and further features of the present invention are betterunderstood by reading the following Detailed Description, taken togetherwith the Drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is an orthographic projection of an embodiment in the extendedposition. The collapsible putting apparatus 100 is comprised of anextrusion arc piece 102. In an embodiment, there are two extrusion arcpieces 102, which are incorporated in a front portion and a back portionof the collapsible putting apparatus 100. The extrusion arc piece 102has a groove 104 running throughout. The groove 104 can run through allor part of extrusion arc piece 102. The front and back extrusion arcpieces 102 are joined by extension pieces 112. Extension pieces 112 arecoupled to extrusion arc pieces 102 by a rivet 116. Rivet 116 can becomprised of any mechanically suitable attachment mechanism, such as ascrew, pin, or bolt. A portion of extension piece 112 has a slot 108.The slot 108 permits movement of extension arms 112, such that the armscan be positioned according to user preference and selectively engagedby friction lock knobs 110. Friction lock knobs 110 may be a screw ornut and bolt mechanism capable of locking extension pieces 112 in adesired position through the use of friction or mechanical engagement.

At the terminal ends of extrusion arc pieces 102 are end caps 106. In anembodiment, end caps 106 are made of an injection molded or thermoformedplastic. End caps 106 can have a spiked, textured, or ribbed bottomsurface, such that they can grip the surface of a putting green andprevent collapsible putting apparatus from movement during use. In anembodiment, the back extrusion arc piece 102 has foot spacers 114slideably attached to groove 104. Foot spacers 114 may be made of moldedplastic, rubber, or stamped or formed metal, and may have a textured topand bottom surface. The textured bottom surface of foot spacer 114 maybe used to prevent movement of collapsible putting apparatus 100 duringuse on a putting green. Foot spacers 114 may be locked in a desired userposition by friction lock knobs 110.

In an embodiment, the extended position as illustrated by FIG. 1 isutilized during use of the apparatus. The user places his or her feet onor outside the molded plastic, rubber, or metal foot spacers to alignthemselves with the device. The spacing of the foot spacers can beadjusted by the user depending upon the user's height and/or stance. Inthe preferred embodiment, the foot spacers are fastened in place byfriction lock knobs. However, other methods for fastening the footspacers in place could be used, such as clamps or interlocking grooves.Furthermore, the apparatus could deliver the desired results without theinclusion of the foot spacers. The foot spacers are slideably attachedto a base piece. In the preferred embodiment, the foot spacers areslideably attached to the base piece through a grove that runssubstantially through the length of the base piece. In the preferredembodiment the base piece is slightly arced. This promotes the properputting stance and enhances ergonomic design. The base piece can be madefrom aluminum, plastic, and the like.

FIG. 2 is an orthographic projection of an embodiment in the collapsedposition. The collapsible putting apparatus has two basic positions;however the apparatus can be configured to multiple positionstherebetween. The primary position is the extended position, as bestillustrated by FIG. 1, and the secondary position is the collapsedposition, as illustrated by FIG. 2. The apparatus is configured to thecollapsed position when not in use. This allows the apparatus to beeasily stored in a compartment of a golf bag. The collapsed positionalso allows for easy transport of the apparatus.

In an embodiment, the base piece is pivotably attached to two extensionarms, although alternate embodiments could incorporate one extension armor more than two extension arms. In the embodiment, the extension armshave a scissor-pivot and are slotted for distance adjustability. Theextension arm comprises two pieces, a slotted piece and a solid piece.The solid piece can be repositioned within the slotted piece. The solidpiece and the slotted piece can be locked in place by friction lockknobs. Alternate embodiments could accomplish this adjustablepositioning through various means, such as clamps or interlockinggrooves.

In the embodiment, as best illustrated by FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3,the extension arms are pivotably attached to a front extrusion arcpiece. The front extrusion arc piece and the base piece should be ofsubstantially exact measurements to promote the space concerns of thecollapsible position, as best illustrated in FIG. 1. The front extrusionarc piece can be made from aluminum, plastic, and the like. The userplaces a golf ball at a designated portion of the front extrusion arcpiece. Then using the front extrusion arc piece as a guide, attempts toduplicate the same putting stroke every time a golf ball is struck.

In an embodiment, the front extrusion arc piece incorporates a groovesubstantially through the length of the piece. Molded plastic or metalend caps are coupled to the ends of the front extrusion arc piece andthe base piece. These end caps cover any rough edges that may be at theends of either the front extrusion arc piece or the base piece, andprevent the foot spacers from coming unattached from the base piece.

These and further modifications and substitutions made by one ofordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present invention,which is not limited.

1. A collapsible putting apparatus comprising: a front extrusion arcpiece; at least one extension arm pivotably attached to the frontextrusion arc piece; and a base extrusion arc piece pivotably attachedto the at least one extension arm.
 2. The collapsible putting apparatusof claim 1 further comprising at least one foot spacer, the at least onefoot space being slideably attached to the base extrusion arc piece. 3.The collapsible putting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at leastone locking mechanism, the at least one locking mechanism beingselectively engaged with the at least one extension arm.
 4. Thecollapsible putting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least onelocking mechanism, the at least one locking mechanism being selectivelyengaged with the base extrusion arc piece.
 5. The collapsible puttingapparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one end cap.
 6. Thecollapsible putting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a grooverunning substantially throughout a central portion of the base extrusionarc piece.
 7. The collapsible putting apparatus of claim 2 furthercomprising at least one locking mechanism, the at least one lockingmechanism being selectively engaged with the base extrusion arc pieceand the at least one foot spacer.
 8. The collapsible putting apparatusof claim 5 wherein a bottom portion of the at least one end cap istextured.
 9. The collapsible putting apparatus of claim 6 furthercomprising at least one foot spacer being slideably engaged with thegroove.
 10. The collapsible putting apparatus of claim 9 furthercomprising at least one locking mechanism, the at least one lockingmechanism being slideably attached to the groove and selectively engagedwith the at least on foot spacer.